


Merry Christmas, You Ass

by xhookswenchx (ReluctantPrincess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, captain swan secret santa 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:41:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28306956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReluctantPrincess/pseuds/xhookswenchx
Summary: Emma Swan didn’t trust Killian Jones when she first met him, and she doesn’t quite believe his current claims of turning his life around. Could a tough case and an impending holiday be enough to change her mind?
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 22
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Stahlop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stahlop/gifts).



> HO HO HO! @stahlop it is I, your @cssecretsanta2020 this year! I hope you enjoy this little fic I’ve written for you! It’s going to be a three part gift posted over the next few days.  
> You said you enjoyed enemies to lovers, and that’s one of my favorite tropes! So, I hope you enjoy this “I hate you, but I really don’t” version of Captain Swan!
> 
> Thank you to donteattheappleshook and kmomof4 for giving this a look through!

“What’s  _ he  _ doing here?” Emma hissed. Her morning had already been terrible.The coffee stain on her new blouse could attest to that. Now she had to deal with Killian Jones?

“Relax,” David said. “He’s got a pretty big case.”

“So he can’t handle it from his fancy office in Portland?” she grumbled as she dropped her bag onto her desk. David shot her a look that could only be interpreted as “play nice”. She rolled her eyes and sat down. “As long as he stays in his lane and out of my space,” she muttered.

They weren’t coworkers per-se, but their paths often crossed. She was a detective at the Storybrooke Sheriff’s department, and he was a county social worker.

The thought had her rolling her eyes again. It was bad enough that the system often failed kids. The fact that they’d knowingly hired people with such little integrity made it worse.

“Swan,” Killian greeted. He gave her a cheeky grin as he grabbed a chair and pulled it up to her desk.

“Jones,” she said curtly. “Rounding up your Christmas crew?” He looked offended at the accusation, but she knew better. Before “turning his life around”, he’d graced a holding cell or two when she was working the desk in Portland. 

“If by ‘Christmas Crew’ you mean kids I hope to get into a stable home for the holidays, then yes.” He didn’t elaborate and her internal lie detector wasn’t going off, but she didn’t believe him. 

She snorted out a laugh and turned on her computer, intent on giving him as little attention as possible. “So what do you want?”

“Graham has us working together,” he said. “I’ve got a fairly big case, and he said you know the family better than anyone.” He set a file down in front of her and sighed. “Tillman?”

Emma opened the file, frowning as she looked through it. Ava and Nicholas Tillman were twins that had been caught in a tug of war ever since their mother had passed.

Currently, they were wards of the state. Their father was currently under investigation for their mother’s death, and the mayor was putting pressure on getting the twins out of Storybrooke’s only and  _ very overcrowded _ group home.

She still wasn’t sure why Regina was so worried about something that didn’t concern her.

“They should be with their father,” Killian stated.

On that, they could agree. She knew the case would clear eventually, but time was running out for the twins. Especially if Regina continued to meddle.

“So you don’t want them joining your little band of ‘Lost Boys’?” she quipped. It had become a term for the most difficult kids, the ones Killian inherited when their previous liaison retired.

It wasn’t a good trade in her opinion. Sydney Glass had been disinterested in doing anything that remotely resembled work. He talked a good game, but in the end, his charges didn’t get the help they needed. Emma could work with that though. She could pick up the slack and do her best for the kids. The Lost Boys were difficult, but at the end of the day, at least they knew someone cared.

Then Killian came along. 

Whatever progress Emma had made was lost when he took over the files completely.

“It’s my job, not yours,” he’d reminded her on more than one occasion.

After six months, the kids seemed to be doing better, but petty crime also seemed to be going up. She didn’t know for sure if there was any correlation, but now that Christmas was coming, she wondered if he was training them to be sneakier than usual, his own little theft ring to line his pockets.

“I don’t know how I can convince you that I’m not the same man I was all those years ago,” he sighed. “I suppose my work here doesn’t speak for itself?”

Emma shot him a dirty look. 

“We don’t have to like each other, love,” he sighed. “But we do need to do our best to help these children, and we’re only going to accomplish that by working together.”

He had a point. And, until their homicide unit finished their investigation, Ava and Nicholas were at the mercy of the system. “All right,” she agreed. “The Mayor is pushing to get the kids out of the group home. If you could come up with a foster family that’s local, I’d appreciate it.” Keeping the kids as close to home as possible was important to her. “And if you could set up some supervised visitation, it might ease the heartache they’re all dealing with.”

Michael Tillman was innocent. She didn’t know how she knew, but deep down, she could just feel it. There was no reason to keep the twins from him. Unfortunately, until everything was set right, there wasn’t much she could do about it.

“Consider it done.” 

She only hoped she could get them home before Christmas. 

* * *

“I don’t understand you sometimes, Emma,” Elsa sighed. “You said the man’s been nothing but helpful, yet you insist he’s a terrible person.”

“Because he  _ is  _ a terrible person,” Emma insisted. She’d been trying to explain for the better part of an hour  _ why  _ Killian Jones was not who everyone thought him to be. “He’s doing something shady.”

“Can you prove it?”

She couldn’t. 

“It’ll come to light soon enough,” she said instead. “Didn’t you say your shop got burglarized last week?”

“I doubt that’s got anything to do with Killian,” Elsa said with a roll of her eyes. 

Emma loved Elsa like a sister. She was the best roommate - and friend - anyone could ask for. But sometimes, she took being the “voice of reason” a little too far. Especially when her reasoning was wrong.

Killian had some sort of theft ring going on, and she was going to nail him.

“Are you going to get changed?” Elsa asked, making a face at the ugly sweater Emma had donned. “Please tell me you’re not going to the party in  _ that. _ ”

It was Emma’s turn to roll her eyes. “It’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone,” she protested. “Besides, I’m wearing a skirt. So you can’t say I’m being lazy. I shaved my legs and everything!” Every year, David insisted on having the station Christmas party at Granny’s. Every year, he made sure it was on a day Emma didn’t work.

Because every year, he expected her to go. 

She’d complained to Graham about it once, but he was content to leave David in charge of all the holiday planning. 

“Just… grab the presents,” she said. “And let’s get going.”

Elsa didn’t say another word about Emma’s outfit, and if she had any more to say about Killian, she kept it to herself as well. 

Until they got to the party.

“What’s  _ he  _ doing here?” Emma asked David the moment she spied Killian at the counter, chatting with Ruby.

“He’s a guest,” David said. “I figure, we’re going to be working with him for a while, so it’s only fair to include him. Besides, he’s pretty great. I have no idea what your problem is.” He took the presents and left Emma to stew.

“Come on,” Elsa grabbed Emma by the arm. “Let’s go make friends.” 

She knew exactly where Elsa was going. Her roommate had a huge crush on Ruby, and made it clear as she made her way to the counter that Emma was going to be her wingman. That meant she would have the honor of distracting one Killian Jones.

“Fuck my life,” she muttered under her breath.

“Swan!” Killian smirked as he gave her a once over. She didn’t miss how his gaze lingered on her legs just a little too long. “Festive.”

Elsa snorted out a laugh that was  _ definitely  _ an “I told you so”.

“Whatever,” Emma muttered, fully intent on letting Elsa deal with her pining on her own. She didn’t need this. Didn’t need  _ him  _ making an already miserable party even more miserable. She didn’t do holidays. Didn’t do parties. It was all just a stark reminder of everything she’d never had growing up.

“Oh!” Killian exclaimed when an overly peppy Christmas song began playing on the jukebox. He grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled her away from the counter. “I love this song! Have a dance with me, Swan.”

Emma pulled her hand away. “Are you drunk?”

His face grew serious as he tilted his head to the side. “I don’t drink anymore,” he stated. “I’m just trying to help you loosen up.”

She felt a little guilty for hurting his feelings, but not enough to make a fool of herself in front of everyone. “Dancing isn’t really my thing,” she said. 

“So have a shot,” Ruby interrupted, sliding up beside her with a glass. “And try to enjoy yourself for once.”

Emma took the shot, but still very much doubted herself when she let Killian lead her to the middle of the diner.

“I’m not much of a dancer,” she warned. She’d been teased more than once about her two left feet. Half the time, she couldn’t even make it through the day without tripping over nothing.

“There’s only one rule,” he said, giving her a little spin. He laughed when she lost her balance and nearly knocked him over when she fell into him. “Pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.”

It took a few tries for her to find her footing, but eventually she fell into a steady rhythm with Killian.

“How about that?” she asked. “I think I’m getting the hang of it!”

“Aye,” he said, a goofy smirk on his face. “You appear to be a natural.”

Emma rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile on her own face. “David will never let me live it down if he knows I’m having fun at one of his ridiculous parties.”

“We’ll be sure not to tell him then,” Killian chuckled.

She could feel everyone’s eyes on them as he twirled her around. The previously peppy song faded into something slower, and when he pulled her into his arms, the nervous energy nearly bubbled over. The shot she’d taken was nowhere near enough to calm her. He was close.  _ Too  _ close. 

He wasn’t supposed to be this charming. Or smell this good. Or feel this good against her. 

“Shit,” she gasped, putting some distance between them. She failed miserably when she tried to ignore the look of hurt on his face. “We shouldn’t…”  _ Shouldn’t what _ ? The lines she’d drawn had blurred in a matter of seconds. Telling him to keep his distance now seemed pointless.

“I’m just winded,” she lied. 

She could tell he saw right through her. 

“It’s fine, Swan,” he said. “I think they’re about to start the presents now anyway.”

In all actuality, they weren’t. Killian gave her space, but their annual gift exchange took another thirty or so minutes before starting up. She didn’t pay much attention outside of pulling her number and selecting a gift. 

“A bag of dicks,” Emma held up her prize as she chuckled in amusement. Maybe in some places, gifting a coworker penis shaped pasta would result in a sexual harassment case, but not Storybrooke. Most of the residents had either grown up together or were related in some way. Crude humor often carried right on into the workplace.

Everyone in the diner laughed and cheered when she informed them all she was eating a bag of dicks for Christmas dinner.

Emma hadn’t been a part of the town’s family for very long, but she found she enjoyed the unfiltered bond everyone seemed to share. 

One they had quickly welcomed her into, no questions asked.

Her heart skipped a beat when Killian’s number was called, and she watched as he went to select his present. The town had welcomed him too. 

She was the only one who’d gone out of her way to make him feel  _ unwelcome _ . And for what? A chance meeting years ago when neither of them were at their best? Sure, she’d been on the right side of the law when he was on the wrong, but it hadn’t always been that way. Emma had been given the chance to change… didn’t she owe it to him to accept that maybe he’d taken a similar opportunity?

A small smile formed when Killian proudly held up his prize. It looked to be a bouquet of some sort, but Emma couldn’t focus on what was being said, and he was too far for her to get a good look. 

The air was thick around her and her heart was pounding so loudly, she was surprised no one else could hear it. 

“I need some air,” she said, barely registering Elsa’s nod as she stood to exit. Once outside, she leaned against the arbor at the front of the diner. A light snow had started to fall, little flakes caught in the lights decorating the area. 

The chill did nothing to ward off the heat that was simmering inside. 

She was having fun at a Christmas party of all things. Not only that, but she was having fun with Killian Jones. Even worse, she had suddenly become far too aware that there was an attraction.

An attraction to a man she’d been absolutely cruel to ever since he strolled into town.

Her attention snapped back to the present when she heard the door opening. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or not to see Killian stepping outside.

_ At least it wasn’t Mary Margaret with one of her Christmas miracle speeches. _

“Are you alright, Swan?” he asked, setting his present down on a nearby table as he made his way over to her.

“Just a little winded,” she said. “Don’t worry about me. I’m sure there’s plenty of willing dance partners just waiting for your return.” She hated the little twinge of jealousy that bubbled within her. 

Jealousy that turned into a wanting that she definitely shouldn’t be feeling.

He smirked as he stood in front of her.  _ The bastard. _

“What?”

“You like me,” he teased.

Emma rolled her eyes. “I don’t  _ hate _ you,” she corrected. “Big difference.”

Before she could react, he leaned in close and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. 

“What the hell was that for?” she asked, her heart now threatening to hammer right out of her chest. 

Killian looked up, and she followed his gaze to the sprig of mistletoe hanging above them. “I just figured since you don’t hate me-!”

She cut him off by grabbing his coat and pulling him towards her. He had no time to register anything other than the fact that she had just dragged him into the least graceful kiss in the world.

It was desperate, needy, and  _ god _ , she’d have him right here if there wasn’t a risk of someone driving up and seeing them.

Or worse… someone leaving the party and catching them.

Yet, when he pressed against her, - the evidence that he wanted her just as much painfully obvious - she almost didn’t care. “Bathroom,” she gasped when they came up for air. 

“We can’t-”

Emma shook her head before he could finish. “There’s a second entrance,” she stated. “No one will know. I’ll sneak in the back, and you can come around and meet me there.”

It was a stupid plan, and she felt more like a teenager trying to sneak around than a grown woman, but at that moment, she couldn’t be bothered to worry about how it might look. 

“Swan, wait!” Killian stopped her before she could run around to the rear of the diner. She watched as he plucked something from his bouquet and handed it to her.

_ A condom.  _

“Seems the gift I chose might come in handy after all,” he quipped.

“Cute,” she laughed. “Just, don’t be obvious about it, okay?” 

“As you wish,” he agreed.

With the party in full swing, no one noticed Emma sneaking in the back door or slipping into the bathroom. She only hoped Killian would keep his cool and not tip off the entire diner. 

She still wasn’t sure why she wanted this so badly. Just moments ago, she’d hated him, and now… well, she didn’t  _ like _ him. No… that wasn’t right. But if she didn’t like him, she wouldn’t be in the bathroom waiting for him.

But she  _ didn’t  _ like him. 

Maybe she was just attracted to him. Like him or not, he was still attractive as hell. Maybe all she needed to do was fuck him out of her system and they could go back to the way things were before.

Reluctant coworkers who avoided one another unless absolutely necessary.

A light knock pulled her from her musings, but she was still too keyed up to find her voice. Hoping it was Killian, she pulled the door open, and sighed in relief to see him standing on the other side. 

She was grateful when he chose to kiss her rather than say anything. They groaned in unison when his hand slipped under her skirt and rubbed at her through her panties. 

“We don’t have time,” she gasped, reaching between them to undo his belt. 

“There’s always time for a little foreplay,” he murmured against her neck as he slipped her panties to the side and plunged two fingers inside her.

“Oh God…” she moaned, all thoughts of being quiet and not getting caught flew from her mind as she rolled her hips against his hand. It was so good, but not nearly enough. 

Finally freeing his cock from his jeans, she curled her hand around his thick length. 

“Bloody hell,” he groaned. “That’s not fair.”

“Then get on with it,” she teased, reaching into her sweater and pulling the condom out from her bra. 

One quick shuffle later, and Emma was wrapping her legs around Killian’s waist as her back hit the wall. She nearly cried out when he buried himself inside her. 

“Fuck,” she gasped, tangling her fingers in his hair, and kissing him like her life depended on it.

Really, it did. If she didn’t quiet down, someone was going to make their way to the restrooms to figure out what the hell all the racket was.

It was quick, dirty, and definitely not something she’d ever admit to whenever she got back to being in her right mind. But right now? Right now she could only focus on how good he felt as he filled her over and over at a near brutal pace.

There would be no fucking him out of her system, she realized. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, they fit together so perfectly that the thought “meant to be” flashed in her mind as she bit down on his shoulder to keep from shouting as she came. 

He followed shortly after, tensing as she clenched around him. 

“Bloody hell…” he sighed as he helped her down. “That was-”

“A one time thing,” she finished, still trying to catch her breath. She couldn’t ignore the hurt in his eyes, but she also wanted to shake the feeling that had washed over her just moments before. “Wait five minutes,” she instructed as she righted her clothes and did a quick check of her hair. 

_ Elsa would figure it out,  _ she realized. But she deemed herself presentable for the less observant people in their group.

“Just…” she cracked the door open and looked out. She could hear the party still going on in the diner, and no one was wandering the halls. “I’ll go around and come in the front entrance. Don’t follow me. Come in from the hall.”

“As you wish,” was the last thing she heard as she snuck out of the diner.

* * *

Killian waited a full five minutes, as instructed. It hadn’t taken long to right himself, even when he paid extra attention to his sex tussled hair. When the little timer on his watch finally went off, he left the bathroom and rejoined the party. 

Emma was nowhere to be seen, but that didn’t stop David from inviting him over to their table. He seemed a little confused at Killian’s entrance from the hall when he’d left out the front door, but a quick explanation of taking a detour by way of the facilities seemed to satisfy the deputy.

He could sense Elsa’s inspection though. Whether or not she believed him, he couldn’t say, but if he wagered to guess, he’d suspect she had her doubts of his whereabouts.

A few more minutes passed until Emma quietly made her way back into the diner. No one else seemed to notice except for Killian. He watched her closely until the moment she shot him a look that told him everything he needed to know.

She didn’t want to talk about it. _ Ever. _

“Ah!” David said when Emma joined them. “She returns!”

She rolled her eyes.

“Now that I have your attention,” David said when everyone in their group was squished around the small booth they’d claimed. “I just wanted to say a little thank you to Killian. I know parties aren’t really your thing, but I’m glad you came.”

“Thanks, mate,” he nodded, wondering what David was going on about.

“We also wanted to wish you luck,” Mary Margaret added. “With your promotion and all.”

“I’m sorry,” Emma interrupted. “What?”

“I put in for a promotion a few weeks ago,” Killian said. In truth, he’d done it because he felt horrible for being the bane of Emma’s existence. As much as he loved Storybrooke and helping the lost ones find structure and stability, he couldn’t continue to make his sometimes partner miserable. “It’s not official yet, but if I accept-”

“You’ll leave,” Emma said flatly. 

He wasn’t sure where this was coming from. Up until a few minutes ago, he was certain she hated him. Maybe she still did. You didn’t have to like someone to have sex with them.

“Emma-”

“Don’t ‘Emma’ me!” she shouted, drawing the attention of everyone else at the party. “How could you do this? You come storming in and make all these wild changes, act like you give a damn about the people here and you just up and leave?”

“Swan-”

“No!” she grabbed her bag of pasta from the table and shoved it at him. “Fuck you, Killian! Eat a bag of dicks!”

He sat there stunned as she stormed out of the diner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Emma Swan didn’t trust Killian Jones when she first met him, and she doesn’t quite believe his current claims of turning his life around. Could a tough case and an impending holiday be enough to change her mind?
> 
> Part Two of @cssecretsanta2020 for the lovely @stahlop !!!
> 
> Thank you to @donteattheappleshook and @kmomof4 for taking a look, and @hollyethecurious for helping me bounce ideas!
> 
> Rating: M for some sexy times.

One whole week. Emma hadn’t seen Killian in one whole week. She’d heard from him from time to time regarding the case they were working on, but other than the occasional phone call? Nothing.

She felt like a heel. What right did she have to get so upset about his desire to leave? Not just that, but losing her cool and telling him to eat a bag of dicks in front of most of her friends and coworkers? 

They weren’t friends. She didn’t even like him. The mind blowing quickie in the bathroom was just to get whatever strange attraction she had to him out of her system. She wanted him gone.

All lies she told herself to soothe the sting of being abandoned yet again. 

No one brought up the party, not even Elsa. Even after she’d told her everything about the kissing, the fucking, and everything in between, her roommate simply told her one thing: “You know what you have to do.” Then, the matter was closed.

She  _ did  _ know what she had to do. She had to apologize. But how could she do that when Killian was avoiding her? When he cut all their conversations short any time she attempted to ask how he was doing, or wish him a good day.

“Fuck,” Emma groaned. She’d made a mess of everything.

* * *

Killian carefully folded up the fancy paper he’d written Granny’s recipe on and tucked it into an envelope. With a heavy sigh, he shoved the card into an empty drawer in the desk he used while at the Storybrooke Sheriff’s department. 

Perhaps one day, it would find its way to Emma.

He hated himself for being such a coward. After all the begging and pleading he’d done to procure Granny’s famous hot chocolate recipe, he couldn’t even bring himself to fulfill his end of the bargain. 

He’d been avoiding Emma ever since the Christmas party. She was angry, rightfully so. They’d never been close, but they’d been partners in the Tillman case, and he at least owed her an explanation. 

Transferring was the last thing he wanted to do. But how could he stay when his presence only made her miserable? It wasn’t until she kissed -and then fucked- the daylights out of him that he realized she didn’t hate him as much as she said she did.

Perhaps she even liked him.

He’d turn down that promotion in a second if she’d only say the word.

Killian had fallen for Emma long before he ever had a temporary desk at the station. It wasn’t until he’d officially taken over Sidney’s position that he realized that not only did Emma not return his feelings… she outright despised him.

_ Because of who he used to be.  _

“Jones?” 

Killian’s gaze snapped away from the desk and towards the entrance to the station. Emma Swan stood there, looking just as confused by his presence as he was hers.

“It’s Christmas Eve,” she scolded. “What are you doing here?”

“I suppose I could ask the same of you.” He shrugged.

“Not much of a Christmas person,” she admitted. “Thought I could take a minute to look through some of the cases that have piled up this week.”

“I made some progress with the Tillmans,” he said. “Just got off the phone with the poor arse at the Homicide Unit tasked with working Christmas Eve. We’ve spent a better part of the afternoon cutting through all the red tape that’s keeping that family apart.”

“You really care about those kids, don’t you?” she asked.

It was the first time she’d acknowledged that he was in this for all the right reasons. “Aye,” he nodded. “And I know you do too. I figured since we’d been hitting nothing but wall after wall these past few weeks, the least I could do was try and light an even bigger fire under someone’s arse.”

“The least you could do… before you take that promotion?” she asked.

“The least I could do for a family that  _ wants  _ to be together,” he corrected. “Christmas is going to be hard enough for them. It’s best they not be separated. Phillip and Aurora are going to meet me here in just a bit so we can make the exchange. I was going to call to ask if you wanted to be there…”

“Of course,” Emma said. “And then what?”

“I can’t stay here. Not when it troubles you to have me anywhere near you.”

“I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I didn’t mean to lose it at the party. But dammit, Killian! You were planning on just leaving! What about all the kids you’ve helped? You’re just going to abandon them? Let them suffer when the next idiot who doesn’t give a damn takes your place? You can’t just leave them. You can’t just leave-”

“You?” he interjected. 

“Me,” she confirmed.

_ There it was.  _

A silence fell over them as they both looked down at their feet. He wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t just mad that he might possibly leave the kids of Storybrooke behind. She was upset that he might leave  _ her.  _

“I guess I never gave you a reason to stay,” she finally muttered. “I was horrible to you. Why would you think I’d want you around when I treated you like shit?”

He didn’t really know what to say to that. She  _ did  _ treat him terribly, but he also understood she had her reasons to distrust him.

“I-”

“Knock, knock!” Aurora’s bubbly greeting rang out. If it weren’t for the fact that Ava and Nicholas were his top priority, he’d have told her to give them a minute. Aurora didn’t seem to catch on that she’d interrupted anything, and continued as if there wasn’t a thick cloud of tension choking all the air out of the room.

“The kids are just outside with Phillip,” Aurora said, smiling at Emma. “I’m glad you’re here too. I wanted to thank you and Killian both for really going to bat for this family.”

* * *

Emma couldn’t bring herself to do anything but smile politely. Sure, she’d gone above and beyond when it came to putting pressure on Homicide, and Killian had done the same with his superiors. They’d both worked hard to get Ava and Nicholas home. 

But it could have been taken care of a lot faster had they’d just worked together.

She felt like a jackass.

All she had to do was swallow her pride and apologize, and they could have been working side by side and not separated by distance and phone signals.

“Why don’t you bring the children in?” Killian suggested. “Warm them up a bit? Mr. Tillman won’t be by for another twenty minutes at least. He had an emergency call out for a tow.”

Despite everything they’d been through over the past few weeks, Ava and Nicholas seemed happy. She supposed she could credit that to the foster parents Killian had found for them. Aurora and Phillip were genuinely good people. Emma hated to think what might have happened if Killian hadn’t found them. 

When Aurora, Phillip, and both children were settled on the couch, Emma grabbed the little box she’d been holding onto from her desk. She approached Killian, who was busying himself with the Keurig and cleared her throat.

“I stole a few of your hot chocolate pods,” Killian admitted without turning around. 

“That’s fine,” she said. “Looks like the kids could use some.”

“Does Dave keep any creamer in the fridge?” he asked.

“Uh…” Emma frowned. This was  _ not  _ how she pictured things going. “Yeah. I can get it if you-”

“That’s all right,” he interrupted. “I’ll grab it when the coffee’s ready.

Emma let out a too-loud sigh, but Killian still worried over the now brewing chocolate. “Hey,” she said. “I, um… I got you a little something.”

When he turned to look at her, she practically shoved the small box into his hands. “Don’t read too much into it. I was just shopping, and it… it reminded me of you.”

_ Could she sound any dumber? _

Her gesture seemed to catch him off guard. Not that that should surprise her. She’d done nothing to indicate that she might get him a Christmas present. 

“It’s stupid, really,” she stammered. “And completely unplanned. Please don’t think you have to get me anything.”

The Keurig beeped, and Emma grabbed the mug. “I’ll just get this over to the kids while you work on the next one?” 

“Aye,” he nodded, still in a bit of a stupor.

“Really,” she said again. “It’s not a big deal, I swear.” With that, she took the mug of cocoa over, promised the kids that another was coming, then took a seat at her desk. 

A couple minutes passed, and then Killian returned with the second mug. He sat at the desk he’d claimed and set the little wrapped box in front of him. She could only see the back of his head as he played with the bow on the present.

It really  _ wasn’t  _ a big deal. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself when she haggled with the guy at the pawn shop. It was just a compass. The anchor engraved on the cover reminded her of a time when he mentioned enjoying sailing. With the rings and earring he generally sported, she could even see him as a pirate in another life.

Maybe she’d gotten him all wrong and he’d hate it. 

Maybe he just hated her.

Thankfully, Ava and Nicholas were too excited to pick up on everything around them. They were busy chatting with one another about getting to go home, what they might get for Christmas, and whether or not they’d have ham or turkey for dinner that year.

Her heart broke for them all the same. As happy as they were, this Christmas wouldn’t shine as brightly as all the others now that their mother was gone.

_ At least they still have someone who cares. _

Emma swiped at the rogue tear that escaped down her cheek. She wasn’t entirely sure where the thought had come from, but she wanted nothing more than to send it back to her subconscious and bury it under the rest of the trauma her childhood handed her. 

She didn’t have a family then, but she had Storybrooke now, and well… she had David and Mary Margaret, who had all but adopted her. She had a best friend in Elsa, and she had something with Killian Jones.

Something that she’d probably wrecked before she could even figure it out, but for a brief moment, it had been there.

“Swan?” 

She looked up to see all eyes on her.

“Sorry,” she apologized. “I zoned out.”

“Tillman’s here,” he said. “Thought we could go over a few things with him before we bring him in.”

“Right,” Emma nodded, standing up to join him. If they had the reunion first, everyone would be too happy to pay attention to anything that was being said. There was still some red tape to break through, and the twins’ father needed to know that.

Mostly, he just needed to know that someone from Social Services would be in touch. There was still an active investigation going on, and even though Tillman had been cleared, he was still a witness. There was also the matter of needing to ensure he could provide the stable home Ava and Nicholas needed.

Emma knew that neither would be a problem. The trial - whenever they caught the perpetrator - would be long and tiring, but they’d get through it. As for stability, Emma had known the Tillmans for years. There was no better place for the twins than with their father. 

Killian had taken it one step further, making certain that the family would have a nice Christmas dinner. Michael had bought all the presents and even decorated the house, but dinner had fallen to the wayside.

“I really thought I’d be spending Christmas alone,” he admitted. 

Emma’s blood boiled at the thought. He’d lost his wife and children in one fell swoop. While she knew the Homicide division had a job to do, she also knew that they were aware a family was hanging in limbo as they dragged their feet.

She was grateful Killian finally found a way to stoke the fire she’d placed under their asses when this whole mess started.

After talking with Michael, they brought him to the twins. The children immediately jumped up and ran to their father, reuniting with hugs and laughter.

Emma did a terrible job of holding back tears. She was thankful that no one was paying attention to her. 

Once the station was clear, Emma knew she wasn’t going to get any work done. Even if Killian left, the overwhelming events of the past week would keep her from concentrating on anything.

“I’m gonna head out,” she said. “Thanks for your help with the Tillmans. Merry Christmas, Killian.” She gathered her things and made her way to the door.

“Swan, wait!” Killian called out.

She turned and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw he was right behind her. “Did you seriously sprint across the station to catch me?” She only meant to tease him, but winced as the words came out harsher than she’d intended. 

If her quip had offended him, he didn’t let on. “I have something for you too,” he stated, holding out an envelope. “I wouldn’t read into it,” he said, mimicking her words from earlier. “Just a little something I thought you’d like.”

“Thank you,” she said, unsure of why he’d even bother with the way she’d treated him.

“Merry Christmas, Swan,” he said quietly. “See you Monday.”

“See you Monday,” she said.

He didn’t stop her again when she made her way outside, and a part of her could feel her heart shattering at the thought that maybe he’d just given up on her. 

* * *

Killian went back to his desk and looked at the present that still sat there. Surely there would be no harm in opening it now. What  _ did  _ Emma see that had made her think of him? 

He pulled the paper apart and smiled when he saw an old, simple box. He opened it and gasped when he saw the object inside. Carefully, he pulled out the piece and examined the ornate cover. There was an anchor engraved in the metal. He wondered if it was an antique pocket watch. When he popped the cover open, he saw it wasn’t a watch at all.

It was a compass. 

“Bloody hell…” It was beautiful. Far better than the gift he’d gotten her. 

He hadn’t even given her the entire gift. He’d left out the part where he was supposed to tell her how he felt.

“Is this what I think it is?” Emma asked, the door clicking shut behind her.

He spun around to see her standing in the entry, the paper he’d copied Granny’s recipe on clutched in her hand. “Um…”

“Is this the recipe I’ve been wheedling Granny about ever since I stepped foot in this town?” she asked. 

He suppressed a chuckle. For as long as he’d known her, Emma had loved hot chocolate. She  _ especially  _ loved Granny’s hot chocolate. He’d have bought her a damned lifetime supply if he could have afforded it, but figured the recipe would be far more useful. 

“Yes,” he confirmed. “That is Granny’s secret recipe.”

It was then, that Emma did the most un-Emma-like thing he’d ever witnessed. She ran over to him and threw her arms around him. “This is the best present ever!” she exclaimed. 

He wanted to tell her it was nothing special, but knew she’d scoff at the idea. Instead of saying anything, he wrapped his arms around her, returning her tight hug with equal enthusiasm. 

“Oh!” she pulled away far too soon for his liking. “I see you opened yours too! I guess we’re both pretty impatient.”

“It’s the perfect gift,” he admitted, noting that she seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief at his statement. “I especially liked the little swan etching on the ‘S’.”

“Huh?” she asked, picking up the compass and examining it. “How about that? I picked it out because of the anchor and the fact that it looked like it might have seen a lot of adventure in its time.”

“I think there’s plenty more adventures it might see in the future,” he said. She was too busy examining the compass to realize he meant adventures with her, but he didn’t care. This was the most unguarded she’d ever been around him, and he just wanted to take it all in.

She set the compass back in its box and looked up at him. “How did you do it?” she asked. “How did you convince Granny to part with her recipe? Better yet, how did you get her to agree to give it to me?”

“I… uh…” he scratched behind his ear and let out a nervous chuckle. “It doesn’t matter, Swan.”

_ He was a damn coward. _

“Oh my god, Killian,” her eyes widened. “What did you do?”

“Nothing drastic,” he assured her. “And she didn’t demand my firstborn, so that was a bit of a relief.” Though, he was pretty sure that Granny expected him to have a first born sooner rather than later.

He smiled when she laughed at his statement. 

“Maybe…” She looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet. “Maybe we can…”

“Go back to my place for some hot cocoa and some movies that have absolutely nothing to do Christmas?”

“I like the way you think, Jones,” she laughed.

* * *

Emma didn’t know what the hell she was doing. First, she agreed to go back to his place. Then, they’d only taken his car, so if things went horribly wrong, she’d still have to depend on him for a ride home. 

Not that she thought anything truly awful would happen, but they were still on shaky ground, and even though she wanted to explore this new thing between them, there was still a chance that they weren’t going to be all that great together. 

Her nerves began to settle once they’d made their first batch of hot chocolate and were halfway through “The Princess Bride”. He’d turned on his electric fireplace that crackled and emanated heat as if it were real fire. It was cozy and helped put her at ease just as much as Killian quoting the movie did. She’d never pegged him as a guy who would have every line memorized, but then again, she shouldn’t have been surprised that he was a fan. 

_ Pirate. _

“You know,” he said. “For two people who claim to not be Christmas people, we sure do know how to celebrate.”

“Why  _ aren’t  _ you a Christmas person?” she asked, feeling a little bold in her comfort. 

“Why aren’t you?” he returned.

“Uh-uh,” she laughed. “I asked first.”

He let out a deep sigh and set his drink on the table. “I never really had a memorable holiday,” he admitted. “My mother was always too ill, and my father didn’t care enough when she was alive, and he didn’t care to stick around after she’d passed. I suppose once I lost my brother, any and all hope of having something good in life went out the window.”

Emma’s heart sank at the thought of Killian having such a tragic life. “Is that why-”

“I was always in the drunk tank?” he finished for her. “Aye. I was always a trouble maker, and my brother did his best to keep me on the straight and narrow. Once he was gone… well, you know the rest. Thankfully, someone with a bit of compassion helped me get into rehab and start fixing the things in my life I’d made a mess of.”

“You were a Lost Boy,” she realized.

“That I was,” he nodded. “Though, they didn’t call us that in Portland. Or even in London where I grew up. The first time I’d ever heard that was here in Storybrooke. But it fits, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” she agreed, finally understanding why he was so passionate about his work. 

“So what about you, Swan?” he asked, turning the tables on her. “I believe you owe me an answer now.”

Emma shrugged. “No family to speak of, so I bounced from home to home until I finally aged out of the system. I lucked out in Portland working in the jail, and then when I was old enough, I went to the academy and got hired on by Storybrooke.”

They were more alike than she realized. Any number of times in her life, she could have given up and been on the other side of the bars. 

“Lost Girl,” he said.

“Guess so.”

As silence fell over them, Emma could only think about how harshly she’d treated him. How the hell could he even  _ think  _ about liking her when she’d been so terrible?

“I’m sorry I misjudged you,” she said. “Really… it wasn’t even my place, and I didn’t even  _ know  _ you. It was unfair, and I should have been more understanding when you told me you had turned your life around. Instead, I made it harder for you.”

“If we’re being honest, Swan,” he laughed. “I was so drunk when we first met that I didn’t remember you. It wasn’t until you jogged my memory that I realized we’d ever crossed paths. Even then, I would likely have never been able to pick you out of a lineup.”

“But-”

“It’s fine,” he said. “I was a different person back then. Please don’t carry all that guilt when you had every right to distrust me.”

“I should have given you a chance,” she stated. 

“And you did,” he reminded her. “It took some time, but I think we’re alright now, aye?”

She nodded. They  _ were  _ alright. But… “So now what?” she asked. “I mean, it’s not like you live far away, but when you leave-”

“Bloody hell!” he exclaimed. “That’s what I was going to tell you before Aurora walked in!”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t take the promotion, love,” he said. “Before you ask, no. It had nothing to do with you.” He frowned as he thought for a moment. “Well… it wasn’t completely because of you. I’ve mulled it over all week, and after helping the Tillmans have a Christmas, I realized that the promotion just wasn’t right for me. I don’t want to be stuck in an office. I want to be out there, helping people. Especially the kids in Storybrooke. Sidney let them down for so long, and you only get one social worker out here. I couldn’t risk leaving them to another lazy arse.

“I…” She didn’t know what to say. Knowing that even though she was a small part of his decision, he’d chosen to stay because of the kids. The Lost Ones who needed a champion.

“I’m glad you’re not leaving,” she finally said. 

_ I’m glad you’re not leaving me. _

God, she could be so selfish. Right now, she didn’t care.

Her heart raced as she tilted her head up. He met her there, his lips brushing against hers in a gentle kiss that quickly turned into a deeper, more desperate one when she climbed into his lap. He groaned as she rolled her hips against him, and she gasped when he tugged at her hair, his lips moving hungrily as he trailed kisses along her neck.

“Killian…”

The quiet plea had him stopping in his tracks. 

_ Had she done something wrong?  _

“I’ve got an idea,” he said, a silly grin on his face.

She only whined a little when he stood, lifting her up with him, then deposited her on the couch. Curiosity got the better of her though, and when he told her to wait, she watched him disappear down the hall. There was a bit of shuffling and rustling coming from one of the rooms, and when he emerged, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t laugh at me, Swan,” he tsked as he spread the blanket out across the living room floor. Once he was satisfied with his work, he pulled a condom out of his pocket.

“Are you trying to be romantic, or is your room a disaster?” Emma teased.

“Very funny, Swan.” He rolled his eyes and chuckled. “You’re more than welcome to inspect it if you’d like.” He sat down on the blanket and smirked at her. “Or… you could join me and we can finish what we started.”

“Cocky much?” she scoffed, even though she knew damn well he knew she wanted to continue just as much as he did.

“Aye, love,” he nodded. “Come over here and see just how  _ cocky  _ I am.”

She joined him, reclaiming her spot on his lap and grinding against him. 

“Too many clothes,” she breathed out as he rolled his hips up to meet her. She wanted him naked and inside her  _ right now. _

Killian however, seemed to have other plans. With one hand on her ass, the other explored underneath her shirt and up her back, flicking the clasp of her bra open with ease. His eyes never left hers, save for the brief moment when he lifted her shirt over her head. Her bra followed after, then his shirt was discarded and forgotten.

“So bloody beautiful,” he said, palming her breasts and running his thumbs over her nipples. He ducked down and took one into his mouth, then switched to the other, as if he couldn’t decide where to start. 

“Oh…” she sighed, her nipples now hardened into tight peaks. 

His fingers tangled in her hair as he kissed her again, holding her so tightly that she thought she might break if he squeezed just a bit harder. 

The words “meant to be” flashed in her mind for the first time since the Christmas party, but this time, she welcomed the thought.

Maybe they  _ were _ meant to be.

He gave her little warning when he shifted and rolled them over. “Now we’ve got all the time in the world for foreplay,” he chuckled. “And no party going on in the kitchen to hear us.”

She wanted to tell him that there was no need. She was keyed up and ready to go long before they ever made it to the floor. But he seemed so eager as he slid off her jeans and underwear that she didn’t have the heart to tell him that oral just never did anything for her.

_ Maybe she could fake it.  _

Her mind switched gears the moment he slid his tongue through her folds. 

“Oh god…” she moaned, arching her back as he hitched one of her legs over his shoulder. He slid two fingers into her and flicked his tongue over her clit, working her up at an almost torturous pace.

She grabbed a fistful of hair and felt his chuckle vibrating through her as she rolled her hips up, wanting more.

He looked up at her and gave her what could only be described as a wolfish grin. “Enjoying yourself?” he asked.

Emma was only able to writhe and moan in response. “That’s it, love,” he praised. “Let go for me.” He ducked down again to tease at her bundle of nerves, his fingers finding that sweet spot that had her finding her release. She tightened around him as he worked her through, aftershocks coursing through her.

“Fuck…” she gasped when he pulled away to undo his jeans.

“That’s the idea, darling,” he said darkly, standing up to undress. 

She sat up and helped him out of his jeans and boxers, then curled her fingers around his cock. He let out a strangled groan and covered her hand, stopping her from going any further.

“But-”

“Darling, if you wrap those lips around me, I won’t last very long at all,” he sighed. “And I have other things in mind that involve me  _ not  _ finishing early.”

Her disappointment must have shown, because he knelt down and kissed her on the cheek. “Let’s just call it 68 for now,” he said.

“68?” She asked.

“Aye,” he nodded, a twinkle in his eyes. “You can owe me one. Now come on, love, lie back.”

“No,” she shook her head. “ _ You  _ lie back. It’s my turn.”

She was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t protest, and laid down as she’d asked. 

Grabbing the condom, she straddled him, smirking silently when he groaned as she rolled it on. 

“Emma,  _ please.”  _

“Who’s begging now?” she laughed.

He gripped her hips tightly as she rose up, the two of them moaning in unison as she lined him up and sank down. She repeated the motion, reveling in the stretch and thick glide of him. The heat from the fire warmed as the coil of desire wound tightly inside her. 

She felt like she just might burst.

“So what is it?” he asked, sitting up. Nipping at her earlobe, she could feel him smirking as she shivered. “Am I trying to be romantic, or do you still think my room is a disaster?”

His hand snaked between them, thumb finding her clit. 

“Ah!” She couldn’t form the words to answer him. “God…” She was so close, and judging by the way he was rubbing at her, and the marks she’d likely have on her hip where he still held her, she decided he probably was too.

“Don’t hold back, darling,” he said. “There’s no one here but us.”

She cried out as her walls began to flutter, and he began to pulse inside her. “Killian!”

“I’ve got you, love,” he said through gritted teeth. He thrust up against her as she squeezed around him, milking him for all he was worth. “Bloody hell…” he sighed as they calmed. “That was-”

“Something that definitely needs to be repeated,” she finished.

“Why don’t you follow me into the bedroom then,” he smiled. “And let me show you  _ just  _ how dirty I can be.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And here it is! The final part of my @cssecretsanta2020 for @stahlop But wait... there’s actually MORE! While this is the end of their Christmas Beginnings, I have a little bit planned for them come Valentine’s Day! :-D
> 
> As always, thank you to @donteattheappleshook and @kmomof4 for all your beta services throughout this endeavor. And a special thank you to @hollyethecurious for helping me with the original idea!

“Merry Christmas, beautiful,” Killian murmured as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

Emma groaned when she opened her eyes and saw it was still dark out. “Of  _ course  _ you’re a morning person.” 

“Nothing wrong with that,” he said. 

Just as she was about to explain the merits of a long winter’s nap, the phone rang. Killian grumbled as he grabbed the offending device from the nightstand. “Jones,” he answered.

There was a panicked voice on the other line, and Emma realized in horror, that Killian had answered  _ her  _ phone.

“Dave!” he snapped. “Everything’s fine. Emma’s fine. She’s right here.”

_ Dammit.  _

With a sigh, he handed the phone over to Emma, who was immediately bombarded with an interrogation on her whereabouts.

“I was worried,” David said. “Your car was at the station this morning when I stopped by to grab the presents from my locker. I called Elsa and she had no clue where you were-”

“I’m fine,” she interrupted, the feeling of guilt settling in her stomach. “I should have texted Elsa, but-”

“You know what?” David laughed. “I don’t want to know. Will we be seeing you and Killian for dinner tonight?”

“Sure,” she said.

Her  _ and  _ Killian? 

They said their goodbyes, and Emma reached over to put the phone back on the nightstand. “I guess you’re invited to Christmas dinner,” she said. “Be prepared for the third degree when he goes into overprotective mode tonight. Sometimes, I think David was my father in another life. I bet he lived to torture my boyfriends then, too.”

He sucked in a breath, and she instantly realized what she’d said. 

“Does this mean I’m your boyfriend?” he asked. 

_ Did it? _

It was a little fast for her liking. Sure, she knew very well now that she didn’t hate Killian. She even knew that she liked him more than a little bit. But boyfriend?

“Just…” she frowned, not sure how to say it without hurting his feelings. “That’s a big leap from where we were just a week ago.”

“Aye,” he agreed, his brow wrinkling a bit. 

_ Dammit. She’d fucked it up already.  _

“Do you  _ want  _ to be my boyfriend?” She couldn’t stop the hysterical laugh that escaped when she said it. “I’m sorry, that sounds so middle school, doesn’t it?”

He laughed with her, the sudden tension easing between them. “I  _ would  _ like to be your boyfriend,” he stated. “But why don’t we just take it one day at a time?”

“I’d like that,” she said softly, her eyes fluttering closed as he leaned in to kiss her. All the reasons she’d ever had to push him away scattered as she laid back, urging him to follow. 

Emma let out a small gasp when he rolled against her, his already hard cock sliding through her folds. 

“Killian, please,” she moaned. 

He pushed into her, filling her at an almost maddeningly slowness. “You feel so bloody good,” he rasped in her ear, groaning when she squeezed around him.

It should have surprised her how she’d gotten so close, so quickly, when he kept such a slow pace, but even as each thrust was gentle, it was deep and filling in a way that she’d never experienced. 

His hand slid down between them, rubbing at her just enough to send her over the edge. “Come for me,” he whispered, biting down on her shoulder as she fluttered around him. Her nails dug into his back as he tumbled over with her.

* * *

“Merry Christmas!” Mary Margaret said excitedly when she threw open the door. She quickly glanced between Emma and Killian in such a way that Emma  _ knew  _ they’d be discussing it later. 

“We brought Mac and Cheese,” Emma said, after wishing her friend a happy holiday. She left out the part that she and Killian had jokingly called it ‘Mac and Jizz’ all morning due to the fact that they’d used the penis pasta she’d gotten at the station party.

“I’ve got that,” David said, taking the casserole dish from Emma. “Grab a drink and have a seat. Elsa and Ruby are already here.” 

She knew that. Elsa was just leaving the apartment when Emma and Killian had stopped by. She’d only meant to shower and change, but the shower turned into something a little steamier than planned, setting them back just enough to arrive fashionably late.

“They’ve arrived!” she heard Elsa exclaim when she caught sight of them. 

_ They.  _ She was officially a  _ they  _ now.

So was Elsa by the look of it. 

“David’s  _ barbecuing _ ,” Ruby informed them once they joined the little group. “In the middle of winter. Who barbecues for Christmas?”

“I do!” David shouted from the kitchen. “And you’ll love it!” 

“I suppose I’ll go help Dave out,” Killian chuckled. “Lest he get frostbite.” He kissed Emma’s temple, then joined David in the kitchen. When the door to the back porch opened, Emma could smell the ham on the grill. 

She was pretty sure David was right. It would be amazing. 

“So!” Elsa giggled once the door shut. “You came  _ with  _ Killian.” 

_ Several times,  _ Emma thought to herself. She knew her cheeks were flushed, and she knew that Elsa noticed. Thankfully, her roommate couldn’t read her thoughts. 

“Are you two an item?” Ruby asked.

“Of  _ course  _ they are,” Mary Margaret answered for her. “Haven’t you noticed they’ve been dancing around each other all season?”

Emma held up her hands, wanting to diffuse the situation before it got out of control. “Let’s not make a big deal out of it,” she said. “Things are still new, and we’re still figuring it out. So, can we keep the meddling to a minimum please?”

She tried to ignore Mary Margaret’s disappointed pout. Still, it would be best if her friends just stayed out of it. Too much pushing could be a disaster. She wanted things to work out as they had been. Naturally.

If a one-night-stand turned relationship with an enemy was a natural thing.

God, her life was insane. 

She thanked her lucky stars when David and Killian returned, telling everyone that the ham was ready, and it was time to get dinner started. Just as he’d promised, the ham was delicious.

And no one had gotten frostbite in the process.

“Hey, this Mac and Cheese is pretty good!” David praised just as he shoveled in a mouthful.

“Are those…” Mary Margaret picked at the noodles and giggled. “The penis pasta?”

David nearly choked, and everyone stared at him until he safely swallowed his food and made a disgusted face. “You brought  _ dicks  _ to the Christmas party?”

“It’s good pasta!” Emma protested. “And it tastes just like a regular noodle.”

Killian snorted out a laugh. 

As far as Christmases went, Emma had to admit that even though it had a rocky start, it had been the best holiday season she’d ever experienced. She only hoped that there were more good memories to be made in the future. 

Her heart nearly stopped at the thought of a future with Killian Jones. It was too soon to think about that.  _ Right? _

She definitely shouldn’t feel so at home, curled up against him on the couch. Shouldn’t be so relaxed with such displays of affection in front of her friends. Her friends who would surely discuss it the moment they leave.

But it was nice. 

His arm around her, fingers brushing against her arm. The way he gave her a gentle squeeze whenever he leaned over to kiss the top of her head. It all felt so good, and  _ natural _ , that she couldn’t even wrap her mind around how quickly they’d fallen into such comforts. 

“You two can stay if you’re tired,” she heard Mary Margaret offer. “The snow’s picking up, and I’d hate for you to get stuck trying to get back to Portland tonight.”

The thought of staying at Mary Margaret’s for the night had her stomach turning. It’s not that she disliked staying with her friends. Hell, she’d stayed in the guest room more times than she could count. But  _ with  _ someone? No.

“I live right down the street,” Emma said. 

“And I’m staying with Ruby,” Elsa added. “So you two can be as loud as you want… provided the neighbors don’t get pissed off. And maybe don’t experiment with every last surface of the apartment?”

Emma muttered “shut up” as her friends all laughed. Her face was flushing again, she just knew it. 

Mostly because she was absolutely thinking about experimenting with any surface she could.

The wind began to howl, and Emma took that as a sign that they should probably leave before getting snowed in was inevitable. 

“We should do this again,” Mary Margaret suggested as everyone readied to leave. “You know, maybe for New Year’s Eve or something.”

“I believe Emma and I have already made plans for that day,” Killian said. They hadn’t, but she was grateful all the same. Hanging out with her friends was fun, but she was ready for a night in. Maybe she wouldn’t even stay up until midnight.

* * *

They hadn’t been in the apartment more than a couple minutes - their coats barely shed - when Emma spun around and pinned him against the door. 

“I do believe Elsa requested that we don’t christen the entire apartment,” he teased.

“What Elsa doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Emma shot back, giving him a sinful smirk as she dropped to her knees. 

“Swan-”

“I believe you said I owed you one,” she reminded him. 

He lost all coherent thought when she freed his hardening length from the confines of his jeans. Groaning, his head fell back against the door when she curled her hand around him. 

“Bloody hell…” he gasped, gripping her hair as she swirled her tongue over the tip of him before taking him into her warm, wet mouth. It took every ounce of willpower to keep from thrusting into her. 

He dared to look down at her, only to see her staring up at him. She moaned when he tugged at her hair, the vibrations sending him into near overdrive. Her cheeks hollowed, wrapping her even tighter around him.

Killian ached for release, but tried desperately to hold out. “Emma…” he warned, tugging at her hair again when she reached between his legs. 

This was it. He was going to last a record two point five seconds, like an inexperienced lad. 

His muscles clenched, and his balls began to tighten. “Emma,” he gasped, trying desperately to keep from finishing too soon. The way her tongue moved over his cock wasn’t helping.

But damn, it felt good.

“Wait!” He pulled her hair, forcing her to stop everything. 

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, a frown forming on her face.

“No, love,” he assured her. “I just didn’t want to end that way.”

“I don’t mind,” she said with a smirk.

He chuckled as he helped her back to her feet. “Now what fun would that be for you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned her away from him. “I say, we make use of that table over there.”

Emma giggled when he led her over to the table. “Elsa said-”

“What Elsa doesn’t know won’t hurt her. Now bend over, darling.” 

Emma leaned over the table, propped on her elbows, and Killian pulled her jeans and underwear down just far enough for access. She moaned when he slid his fingers through her folds. “Please, Killian…” she whispered.

Her “please” nearly did him in, but he managed to contain himself. Pulling his hand away, he grinned when she begged for more. 

“Oh!” she cried out when he slammed into her wet heat. His hard grip on her hips surely left marks as he set a hard and fast pace. “More!” she demanded, slipping her hand between her legs to toy with her clit.

“Let go, love,” he said when her walls began to flutter around him. Unable to hold out any longer, he found his release within her. “Damn…”

“Damn is right,” she said, breathless. 

* * *

Killian didn’t wake before the sun the next morning, and Emma was even more surprised to find that it was nearing nine, and she was the first one to open her eyes. She looked over to the man who had wormed his way into her heart. 

In just a couple days, she’d broken all her rules when it came to one-night-stands. 

The first rule being: It’s never more than a one time thing.

The rest just seemed to crumble along with her hatred for Killian Jones. If she was really being honest though, she couldn’t truly say she ever hated him. Strong dislike, perhaps, but the hate was more of a not-knowing.

Or maybe it was simply because her soul had found a kindred spirit, and the thought of that terrified her more than anything.

“If you think any harder, we’re going to need a fire extinguisher,” Killian muttered. He chuckled when Emma startled, then opened his eyes and grinned at her. 

“How did you know I was thinking?” she asked. “You were asleep!”

“I could feel you staring at me,” he laughed. “And I think I know you well enough by now to know that you overthink everything.”

She wanted to be offended, but he had a point. 

“One day at a time,” he reminded her.

She laughed when her stomach let out a loud grumble. 

“How about one  _ breakfast  _ at a time?”

“Aye,” he agreed. “Breakfast is a perfect place to start.”

One breakfast turned into one dinner, and one dinner became another, and another, until before she knew it, she and Killian were ringing in the new year. 

This time, Emma didn’t shy away at the thought of their future together. 


End file.
